Student Policies and Regulations

Students in secure environments or Studying with an unspent criminal conviction

The Open University has over 40 years of experience in collaborating with criminal justice agencies throughout the UK and the Republic of Ireland to facilitate education for students in prisons, secure hospitals, and those with legal constraints studying in the community. The University seeks to balance its obligations towards applicants and students with unspent criminal convictions, legal restrictions or orders fairly with its obligations to the entire student and staff community as well as those visiting the University or attending its events.

These policies, therefore, set out how the university supports students in secure environments or those who have unspent convictions, legal restrictions and orders. The policies include how to disclose an unspent conviction, legal restriction or order, the implications for not disclosing or failing to respond to requests for information, how our curriculum is determined and how support is provided.

The policies apply to students of the Open University, including undergraduate and postgraduate taught courses, postgraduate research students, apprentices and microcredential learners.

There is a separate procedure document that should be read in conjunction with the Policy for Supporting Students Subject to Legal Licence, Restrictions, Conditions or Orders and the Conditions of Registration for the study being undertaken. It explains the procedure for declaring an unspent legal restriction and the risk assessment process The Open University undertakes.

These policies supersede the Disclosure Framework. The Disclosure Framework is provided for reference purposes only.

If you require this document in an alternative format, please contact your Student Support team or via phone +44 (0)300 303 5303. For requests relating to postgraduate research student policies, please contact the Research Degrees Team